Probing Matter at High Magnetic Fields
with X-Rays and Neutrons
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Tallahassee, Florida
May 10-12, 2005

Workshop Synopsis

The National Research Council's Committee on Opportunities in High Magnetic Field Science (COHMAG) was charged in 2003 to (1) assess the current state and future prospects of high magnetic field science and technology in the United States; (2) assess the position of the United States in this area in the international context; (3) identify promising multidisciplinary areas for research and development, and (4) review and prioritize major magnet construction initiatives for the next decade. Currently, the United States (through the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory) is the world leader in the highest fields for practical experiments; however, research institutions in Germany and Japan are key competitors. We have the opportunity to expand the high field magnet capabilities in the United States to help assure continued leadership in the science programs they support.

The specific goals of this Workshop are to identify grand challenges in science at high magnetic fields that should be addressed using neutron and x-ray scattering techniques. The Workshop will be used to define a roadmap for development of the next generation of instrumentation at major user facilities that will enable these challenges to be met. In particular, this roadmap will identify:

As part of the stage-setting for this Workshop, overviews will be included of existing capabilities at x-ray and neutron facilities as applied to research in high magnetic fields. Both invited and contributed talks will address the new challenges at the forefront of materials research in high magnetic fields. The planned compilation and subsequent dissemination of the roadmap and stage-setting overviews will be valuable in providing an educational tool for the high magnetic field community and aid in maximizing the awareness and utilization of these strategic user facilities.

This workshop is sponsored by Argonne National Laboratory/Advanced Photon Source, Oak Ridge National Laboratory/Spallation Neutron Source, and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.